What the Fangirlhttp://whatthefangirl.com
Pop culture. Her way.Mon, 05 Mar 2018 21:54:52 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.5Bri and Alex host Other Side of the Mirror, a Once Upon a Time fan podcast, with an emphasis on Regina/Evil Queen. We analyze and critique the show, along with recapping it. We offer two types of podcast episodes: Recaps, where we go through each episode, discussing any theories and thoughts we have about the plot and the characters, and Fan episodes, where we may discuss various show topics, interview fans, chat about &quot;ships&quot; (ALL are welcome), and offer fan video and fanfic recommendations. We incorporate feedback throughout the podcast. If we really have strong thoughts about an episode, we'll record an instant reaction too. Lately we've been reacting to the show live, recording our thoughts as the episode airs. Our show is part of our podcast network, WhattheFangirl.com. Visit the network for the best and worst in pop culture. <br />
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Language note: This is not a family friendly podcast. There may be occasional language; we use the same language you hear on the show. <br />
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We focus on the show, the fandom, ships, our theories, and more, all with a Regina-friendly perspective. Share your feedback by visiting our website at http://othersideofthemirror.com calling our voicemail line at (970) 510-ONCE (6623) or by email to talk@othersideofthemirror.com. We’d love to hear your feedback, recommendations or topic ideas. You can support our podcast and other content by visiting our Patreon at http://patreon.com/whatthefangirlOther Side of the MirrorOther Side of the Mirrorothersideonce@gmail.comothersideonce@gmail.com (Other Side of the Mirror)Other Side of the Mirror: A Once Upon a Time fan podcastWhat the Fangirlhttp://looperman.comhttp://whatthefangirl.com
85545699Hear The Lonely Island’s Rejected Oscar Song About Blockbustershttp://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/lonely-islands-rejected-oscar-song/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/lonely-islands-rejected-oscar-song/#respondMon, 05 Mar 2018 21:54:52 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9116The Lonely Island has made so many of us laugh over the years with great hits like “Dick in a Box” and “I’m On a Boat.” My personal favorite is “The Creep,” because Lordy Lordy, I love Nicki Minaj. They made songs that got stuck in your head when they penned “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie.

On Sunday, they could have possibly been known as “Oscars Musical Writers” (Is that even a thing? That’s a genre of music? I don’t know. This is why I don’t write music reviews).

The Academy Awards came to them to write a song for the Oscars about all the big blockbuster movies that make a ton of money but never get nominated. The estimated 200 million dollar budget to film it kept the project from happening. At least The Lonely Island released the demo with storyboards!

Personally, I like it this way and wished it got played just like this on the show.

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/lonely-islands-rejected-oscar-song/feed/09116I Wasn’t Ready for the New ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ Trailerhttp://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/i-wasnt-ready-for-the-new-mary-poppins-returns-trailer/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/i-wasnt-ready-for-the-new-mary-poppins-returns-trailer/#respondMon, 05 Mar 2018 18:44:57 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9113Mary Poppins is back! Julie Andrews took on the role of the beloved nanny in 1964, and now Emily Blunt has taken up the familiar parrot umbrella. The film was a major point in the Disney legacy, even as Walt had to battle with creator P.L. Travers to get it made (a battle shown in the film Saving Mr. Banks). Many have said they don’t want a remake, but rest assured: Mary Poppins Returns is a tale of the Banks children, now grown but revisited by Mary, and loosely based on the book series.

I was a big Poppins fan as a tween, even buying a Disney Store Poppins doll that transforms from her everyday look to Jolly Holiday. I also had a longtime crush on Dick Van Dyke thanks to Nick at Nite. A new trailer aired during the 90th Academy Awards and I wasn’t ready for a reimagining of one of my favorite childhood movies.

Set in 1930s London, Jane and Michael Banks are now grown-up, with Michael still living in the house on Cherry Tree Lane. He lives there with his three children, Annabel, John, and George, and the housekeeper named Ellen. After Michael suffers a personal loss, Mary Poppins comes back to the Banks family with street lamplighter Jack, and eccentric cousin Topsy

The teaser starts out with 1930’s dreary London and the windstorm kicking up a young child’s kite. We also see Jack, the lamplighter, as played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Honestly, the scenery mimicked the dreariness you may feel right now. Yes, more than ever, we need a fanciful nanny who brings magic wherever she goes. Sadly Dick Van Dyke is the only original cast member who will make a cameo, but Julie Andrews completely approves of the new generation of Poppins, so worry not.

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/05/i-wasnt-ready-for-the-new-mary-poppins-returns-trailer/feed/09113Kick Off Your Weekend With The Porg Parade!http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/02/kick-off-your-weekend-with-the-porg-parade/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/02/kick-off-your-weekend-with-the-porg-parade/#respondFri, 02 Mar 2018 15:46:19 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9110Happy Friday! You made it to the end of the week! Here’s something cute to celebrate:

The Porg Parade!

Porgs are the adorable new creatures introduced in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Freelance animator Cas van de Pol made this video following the online meme MitchiriNeko March giving it a Star Wars flair!

Look out for those cute hidden things in the video too! There’s a couple Last Jedi cameos in there.

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/03/02/kick-off-your-weekend-with-the-porg-parade/feed/09110Wreck it Ralph Takes on Ebay, Cat Pics and More in Teaser for Wreck It Ralph 2http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/28/wreck-it-ralph-takes-on-ebay-cat-pics-and-more-in-teaser-for-wreck-it-ralph-2/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/28/wreck-it-ralph-takes-on-ebay-cat-pics-and-more-in-teaser-for-wreck-it-ralph-2/#respondWed, 28 Feb 2018 19:01:18 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9104After fans saw a clip last summer at D23, we finally have a teaser trailer for Wreck it Ralph 2. This time, Vanellope and Wreck it Ralph are jumping through the internet, courtesy of an Wi-Fi connection established at their arcade. The teaser shows the characters encountering spam, Ebay, cat pictures, and IMDB, among other places. They even have a run-in with one of those “These Child Stars Look Like Unrecognizable — You Won’t Believe #6” articles, which gave me a big laugh since I started my writing career doing those kinds of articles. The characters go into the internet after the arcade owner buys a router for his computer, an old iMac-looking piece of machinery. Points to the animators for the detailing that goes into these scenes.

Taking place six years after saving the arcade from Turbo’s vengeance, the Sugar Rush arcade cabinet has broken, forcing Ralph and Vanellope to travel to the Internet via the newly-installed Wi-Fi router in Litwak’s Arcade to retrieve the piece capable of saving the game.

If you visit the IMDB page for Wreck it Ralph 2, you’ll be treated to a promotional video where Ralph appears to “break” the movie listing. Nice touch, Disney! The cast list and D23 also revealed that 12 Disney Princesses will appear in the film, so there’s your brand synergy.

So which are you more excited for in the Disney sequel race? The Incredibles 2 or Wreck it Ralph 2? Let me know in the comments!

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/28/wreck-it-ralph-takes-on-ebay-cat-pics-and-more-in-teaser-for-wreck-it-ralph-2/feed/0910413th Doctor Who Comic Coming From All Female Creative Teamhttp://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/21/all-female-team-comic-for-first-female-doctor-who/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/21/all-female-team-comic-for-first-female-doctor-who/#respondWed, 21 Feb 2018 16:46:54 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9096This Fall, the 13th Doctor will grace the screens of Doctor Who with Jodie Whittaker taking on the iconic role. Coinciding with the show, Titan Comics will launch Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor as an ongoing comic series.

Even better, they will have an all female creative team heading it up! Jody Houser will be the writer following her run on Orphan Black comic book and the comic adaptation of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. She was also a writer on the critic darling Mother Panic from DC Comic’s Young Animals line. Rachel Stott will be the artist for the book having worked on many Doctor Who comics for Titans. Enrica Angiolini joins the team as the series’ colorist.

In a time when it’s so hard for women to break into the boys club that is the comic book industry, I applaud Titan Comics for giving women the leads on this one.

The Titan Comics line of Doctor Who comics have always been fun since the company got the license in 2014. Sometimes they’re ongoing adventures with the Doctors and the TV series companions. Other titles have completely new companions different from the show. They’re been a great to fill the time while the show has been in hiatus.

As of right now, there’s no release date for the comic. If I had to guess, Titan will release it close to the Fall premier of the show to build that hype.

Okay, I know that the first one was a teaser that premiered during the Super Bowl. It teased the official teaser (JUST GIVE US ONE FULL TRAILER) that dropped today. Since the Super Bowl trailer had different footage and feeling from the official trailer, I’m going to treat it as it’s own beast.

In case you missed the teaser from last night, check it out:

That shot with the Star Destroyer coming through the clouds still gives me chills.

While this was just enough to get everyone hyped for the big trailer, there’s still moments that got people talking. Namely, Lando Calrissian’s (Donald Glover) fashionable hero moment with this gorgeous cape-fur coat thing. That was honestly my favorite moment too!

I’m more hyped about Lando in this movie than anything else at the moment…

But you’re not here to look at things from a trailer you already seen fifty times since last night! You’re here to see (probably again) the new trailer that dropped today. Unlike the Super Bowl spot, we finally get to see a real good first look at Alden Ehrenreich playing the iconic smuggler:

I have one wish for this movie and all the “Star Wars Story” tie ins. They need to be genre flicks. It needs to be well written in a particular genre to carry a certain kind of story. For example, Captain America: Winter Soldier is a superhero movie, but it’s also a political thriller. You can change Steve Rogers into any random soldier dude, and it would still work as a movie. We saw the beginning of this formula in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with them making a straight up war movie filled with all the battle tropes and cues. It worked quite well (though I’m biased because Rogue One is one of my favorite Star Wars movies with one of my favorite actors in it).

Now, it’s time for SOLO to follow what Rogue One started. This needs to be a solid heist movie with a well written story regardless of this being in the Star Wars universe. Between the two trailers, I’m starting to see the first hints of it. I’m not completely sold yet on SOLO, but they teased enough to have me intrigued.

…Mostly because of Lando.

SOLO: A Star Wars Story is out Memorial Day weekend on May 25th, 2018.

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/02/05/solo-a-star-wars-story-trailer/feed/09082Marvel’s New All Ages Miniseries Is Not Good Enoughhttp://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/24/marvels-new-all-ages-miniseries-is-not-good-enough/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/24/marvels-new-all-ages-miniseries-is-not-good-enough/#respondWed, 24 Jan 2018 20:50:38 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9061Marvel announced a brand new all-ages comic coming in April called Marvel Super Hero Adventures. It’s being written by Jim McCann with art by Dario Brizuela. The first cover art will be from my favorite two lady team from Japan, Gurihiru, who has been doing art for Gwenpool.

Aimed at young readers, this five issue Miniseries (there’s a reason I noted it’s a miniseries) will show that no hero is too big or small to have awesome adventures. Our buds over at Graphic Policy had a sneak peak at the first issue where Spider-Man heads to Wakanda to go on an adventure with Black Panther:

In the announcement, McCann said:

Marvel Super Hero Adventures is a chance to introduce the great heroes of Marvel to a brand new generation in exciting stories with lessons, adventures, and action that readers of all ages have come to expect from the House of Ideas! Each issue features Spider-Man teaming up with characters both classic, such as Black Panther and Doctor Strange, and popular new faces like Ms. Marvel. Together they battle villains like Doc Ock, Taskmaster, Venom and more. This is the book you can pick up and share with anyone from your kids to your friends!

The comic series is a great way for kids to improve their reading skills as well as provides material for parents to share and read to their children. The goal is to entertain and inspire with the series. The first adventure starts with Spider-Man swinging into Wakanda!

…And here is where I take a huge breathe and scream out in frustration.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m so excited there’s a new Marvel comic aimed at children. It’s needed in a market where companies like Boom Studios, Joe Books, and books by Raina Telgemeier are kicking the crap out of the Big Two, Marvel and DC Comics in kids comics. Having old favorites like Spider-Man and the currently market hot Black Panther mixing with my girl and international Islamic icon Ms. Marvel is wonderful.

The problem that I have is what I noted up at the beginning of the article:

This is a miniseries.

Five issues. That is not good enough, Marvel. I don’t understand why this can’t be a new ongoing series.

Children want to read superhero comics. I see them all the time in my store looking for Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, and those little ladies want to see some kick butt women. DC Comics is doing a bit better at the kids market. At least they have Teen Titans Go! to offer up. Even then, it’s a bimonthly series. Six issues a year is the bare minimum, but at least they have constant new stuff coming out.

Marvel releases one, MAYBE two miniseries a year for children. A lot of their previous series are available to order like Marvel Tsum Tsum and Avengers: No More Bullying. These are available in trade paperback form. This works for your mid-level elementary school kids and up. But when it comes to a five year old looking to get their first comic, a trade paperback looks BIG. A book that “huge” to a five year old is daunting and scary especially when they’re learning how to read. The joy of single issues is that it’s more approachable to those younger kids. For three bucks, they can beat up the book, fold it, do whatever they want with it. A trade paperback has about a $15 price point. Parents are afraid to invest money in that when their kid could bend the pages, rip them, and play with it. This makes parents avoid buying these trades for their little ones.

This is why it would be imperative for Marvel to have an ongoing kids series in single issues. I would love to see it set up like IDW Publishing’s current Star Wars Adventures series. Every issue is a one shot or a two issue story. So far, no story has gone over three issues. Because of this format, a child can jump into any point of the comic, pick it up, and start to read it with no need for the previous issues. It’s a great series featuring character from the original trilogy, prequel movies, Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and the current trilogy eras. It’s a brilliant format for this title. My personal favorite story was when Cassian Andor and K-2SO from Rogue One found a group of Wookiee children and had to babysit them. K-2SO is a surprisingly good nanny.

I would love to see Marvel have an ongoing kids comics with this format. They can feature their vast cornucopia of characters each month letting this series run for years.

But Hope, what about their all ages Avengers Assemble, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Ultimate Spider-Man comics based on the Disney XD shows?

Do you mean these lazy bullshit excuses for comics?

Yes, I did just call them lazy bullshit excuses for comics books, because that’s exactly what these are. My store has lost money on these things. They sit on the shelves gathering dust with children having no interest in them. Why might you ask?

Children have already seen the shows.

I had a little boy look at one issue, tell me that he already seen that episode, and walked out of my store. I lost the sale. I haven’t seen him since. It was a miss opportunity where a little boy could have bought his very first comic book and started his new journey as a comic collector.

I also loathe these three bullshit comics because of how they’re made. They are literal screenshots from the episodes put into panel form:

This is so lazy. I have many friends who are sequential artists or comic writers toiling away in the lower ranks of the comic industry who would kill to get a chance to write for the Big Two. Here’s Marvel with three comics taking away three chances for new artists to break into the business.

Here’s a crazy thought, Marvel. Why not scrap these three lazy bullshit excuses for comics and focus on one good monthly ongoing title? It could be their freshman artist hazing title! They could give a new artist a couple issues, see how well they work with deadlines and in the company, and then consider putting them on other projects. If anything, it would give a new artist a chance to build their portfolio more. If there were any big time artists who wanted to do a fun one shot issue, it would give them that opportunity as well! Not only is Marvel putting out these terrible excuses of comic books, but they’re also taking away opportunities from new artists.

A kids Deadpool series would make a killing. I get about 2-5 kids a WEEK asking for Deadpool comics. Oh my god, Marvel guys. You would make so much flipping money.

I’m begging you, Marvel. Please make a monthly series for children. I’m on your front lines working in stores selling your books. You’re not the one that has to tell a child there will be no issue #6. I’m the one that has to see their sad little faces, not you.

Back at Christmas, I had the hardest time finding an appropriate Spider-Man comic for my six year old nephew. I’m the manager of a comic store, we were out of back issues, and I had to order out of print Spider-Man comics from Amazon to complete his present.

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a free to play mobile game coming spring of 2018. Set in the 1980’s before Harry Potter’s birth when Nymphadora Tonks and Bill Weasley attended the magical school, the player will finally get their Hogwarts letter. After picking a school house (I’m a very proud Hufflepuff in case you were wondering), the player will attend classes, make spells, and their choices will affect character relationships and game play. Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Hagrid will all appear in game.

As you improve your skills, new areas will unlock. I wonder if the game will stay in Hogwarts or expand into the bigger world of the novels. Though, Hogwarts is a huge place with many passages and secret corridors. It would take a lot of time to explore the school even if this isn’t an open world setting.

…Oh my God, can we have an open world Harry Potter game where you go through school and then get to choose which side of the Wizarding War you fight on like World of Warcraft but for Harry Potter?

Please?

Check out the trailer below for Hogwarts Mystery below:

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery will be available for mobile devices via Google Play Store, Amazon App Store, and Apple’s App Store later this spring.

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/18/harry-potter-hogwarts-mystery/feed/09051What’s Next for Jessica Chastain After Pivotal Lead Role in Molly’s Game?http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/17/whats-next-for-jessica-chastain-after-pivotal-lead-role-in-mollys-game/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/17/whats-next-for-jessica-chastain-after-pivotal-lead-role-in-mollys-game/#respondWed, 17 Jan 2018 07:20:00 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9047Molly’s Game, which premiered late last year, gave Jessica Chastain yet another well-earned and fantastically played lead role, as well as a handful of acting awards and nominations. Indeed, Chastain is one of the most versatile and sought-after talents in the industry today after her breakout role in Jolene (2008).

The 40-year-old actress has lent her impressive talent to award-winning films Tree of Life (2011) and Zero Dark Thirty (2012), as well as stunningly crafted sci-fi films Interstellar (2014) and The Martian (2015), the latter of which was explored in a previous post here on What The Fangirl. After developing an illustrious career over the span of just a decade, what’s next for Jessica Chastain?

A force to reckon with

The actress is showing no signs of slowing down this 2018. After appearing in no less than four big-budget films in 2017, the star is set to appear on this year’s superhero blockbuster X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Xavier Dolan’s drama The Death and Life of John F. Donovan.

Chastain is also working on films currently in production, several of which are under Freckle Films, the production company she founded. This includes the sci-fi flick The Division and the biopic Seducing Ingrid Bergman.

For a better Hollywood

Over the past years, Chastain made as many headlines for her outspokenness on Hollywood’s gender and race problems as she has for her acting work. She told the LA Times that it took her years to summon the courage to come forward out of fear of backlash. This changed in 2013, when the actress took to Facebook to clear out rumors of a feud between her and Oscar contender Jennifer Lawrence. Of this, she says, “I was so scared to do that on social media, but it was so easy… So then I was like, ‘Oh, that was easy, and I’m gonna do it all the time. I don’t care.'”

Since then, the actress has been vocal about the need for more women behind the camera to tell more realistic stories about women, while bringing to light the inappropriate actions of the opposite sex in Hollywood. More recently, she has also called out Hollywood’s stark whiteness and spoke about the industry’s need to be more diverse.

A well-rounded private life

For all of her candid remarks on the state of the industry, Chastain likes to lead a quiet life outside of work. Perhaps in 2018 she can get to walk her dog and play her ukulele more, which she’s mentioned in the past as some of her favorite things to do.

After immersing herself in the world of underground poker for Molly’s Game, she can also engage more in the sport. There’s always the option to play with friends, as PartyPoker points out that buddying up with better players and reading about the game are great ways to learn and improve. Of course, Chastain has had a head start in this regard, since professional players and dealers were there to show her the ropes in production and while she did her research for the role.

Moreover, the actress may also take up dancing again, which she had a knack for as a teenager before going into acting. This can also help her prepare for her role in Taylor Hackford’s upcoming musical drama George and Tammy.

What things are you looking forward to Jessica Chastain doing this 2018 and beyond? Let us know in the comments below!

]]>http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/17/whats-next-for-jessica-chastain-after-pivotal-lead-role-in-mollys-game/feed/09047Marvel Featurette Showcases the Badass Female Warriors of ‘Black Panther’http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/15/black-panthers-badass-women/
http://whatthefangirl.com/2018/01/15/black-panthers-badass-women/#respondMon, 15 Jan 2018 16:34:10 +0000http://whatthefangirl.com/?p=9041Another morning, meaning we’re another day closer to Black Panther. While I’ve been trying to avoid spoilers for the movie, I couldn’t turn my eyes away from this video. Because if we’re being honest here, Lupita Nyong’o is a personal queen of mine. I can’t wait to see her kicking ass and taking names in this movie.

The featurette gives us a great look at the Dora Milaje, the all female warriors that act as the king’s guards in Wakanda. Danai Gurira, who plays Okoye, goes into more detail about how the Dora Milaje function as a unit. She gives some insight on her character following the more traditional path. My Queen, Lupita Nyong’o, explains that her character, Nakia, challenges Wakandan traditions. Both women are fierce warriors and forces to be reckoned with.

They also released the “Entourage” TV Spot where Okoye and Nakia help “grab the attention” of Martin Freeman’s character, Everett K. Ross.

The Mary Sue wrote up a great summary of the history of the Dora Milaje:

Within in the comics, the Dora Milaje or “Adored Ones” first appeared in Black Panther Vol.3 #1 in 1993, and they are the royal bodyguards and “brides-in-training” who are trained in everything from martial arts to espionage. In-universe, the “Adored Ones” came from a tradition of the 18 Wakandan tribes submitting a potential wife for the king. Over time, and under kings like T’Challa, the idea of them being “brides-in-training” became more symbolic and they are instead trained to be warriors. They are usually the best, brightest and most furious of the tribe’s women. Their loyalty is both to the king and also to Wakanda itself.

Much like the Amazons in DC take inspiration from the mythical Greek Amazons, the inspiration for Dora Milaje can be found in the N’Nonmiton or Dahomey Amazons. The N’Nonmiton were a group of warrior women founded by King Agaja of Dahomey (present-day Republic of Benin) in the 18th century trained with muskets. Just like the Dora Milaje. they were considered “brides to the king” and were to remain chaste and refrain from having families.

As they stated in their article, I doubt that the movie will be play up the bride aspect of things. After the Amazons in last year’s Wonder Woman, I’m so happy we’re continuing to get non-sexualized, badass, strong woman warriors.